Clinton Drug Dealer Sentenced 15 Years After Traffic Stop Led To Drug Bust
GREENBELT, Md. (WJZ) — A drug dealer from Clinton was sentenced Monday after a traffic stop in 2018 led to a drug arrest in Prince George's County.
Russell Lee Battle, 54, will spend 15 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and marijuana.
He was first arrested on January 12, 2018, when Prince George's County police officers stopped the car he was driving for not having illuminated tag lights.
While speaking with the officer on the driver's side of the car, Battle was looking for his vehicle registration when he pulled a digital scale from the center console and placed it on the passenger seat.
The officer on the passenger side also saw the digital scale. Battle claimed he did not know what the scale was and handed it to the officer, who saw it contained a white powder-like substance and cut marks.
When Battle couldn't find his registration, the officers returned to their cruiser and looked up Battle, learning that he had previous narcotics-related convictions and had falsely said he didn't know what the scale was.
The officers searched Battle's car and found two semi-automatic firearms, each loaded with at least 20 rounds of ammunition, as well as another extended magazine.
They also found three bags of crack cocaine, totaling around 9.8 grams. One of the bags contained 10 small baggies, each with crack cocaine inside. They also found 21.7 grams of marijuana packaged into nine individual baggies, as well as $637 cash.
Battle admitted he was going to distribute the crack cocaine and marijuana found in the car.
"Guns and drugs take far too many lives in our communities. All too often, guns and drugs go hand in hand—and both are killers. Federal, state, and local law enforcement are united in our commitment to get guns, drugs, and violent criminals off our streets and to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods." said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.
